Last week, NHS drones were spotted in the London skyline. Urgent blood samples are now being transported by electric drones as a medical delivery service, which aims to improve patient care by speeding up turnaround times. Moving the blood samples between Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital takes 30 minutes by road but just two minutes by drone. The NHS partnered with Apian, who works with Wing to provide drones and integrate them into healthcare logistics.
The drones themselves are not innovative, no significant engineering breakthroughs were made, drones existed before the NHS used them. Typically drones were used for military and defence, filmmaking, environmental research and a bunch of other industries. Zipline did pioneer medical drone deliveries in countries such as Rwanda and Ghana to transport blood, vaccines and other essential medical supplies in war zone areas but, apart from this initiative drones typically have not been used in healthcare. Apart from Zipline, the adoption of drone technology in health care is new, it’s faster, quicker and more efficient than what is out there for medical delivery services.
How can fintech realistically takeaway actionable lessons from the healthtech drone success?
1. Partnership-Driven Transformation
The success of Wing and Apian highlights the power of partnerships. Similarly, fintech innovation thrives when technology providers collaborate with financial institutions to integrate solutions like APIs for seamless customer experiences.
2. Redefining Convenience
Drones delivering coffee or medical supplies showcase the importance of accessibility and reliability. In fintech, digital wallets, instant payments, and one-click investments redefine convenience for financial consumers.
3. Expanding Use Cases
Wing’s ability to deliver diverse items from blood samples to coffee, mirrors how financial technology must innovate beyond payments, incorporating features like credit scoring, budgeting tools, and wealth management.
4. Technology Integration
Apian’s role in integrating drone technology into healthcare logistics is akin to fintech platforms embedding AI and machine learning to streamline fraud detection, risk management, and customer onboarding.
5. Competitor Intelligence
The disruption caused by drones signals the need for traditional players to adapt. Fintech companies must stay ahead of competitors by monitoring trends, such as the rise of embedded finance or decentralised financial services.
